I never did make it to Africa. As soon as the first record on ECC, Synaesthesia, was released, our second album came forward and was ready to go, putting the brakes on my planned journey south. I suspect my friends and family are all boasting magnificent tans by now and my I will be a source of ridicule for the rest of the year.

Empire & Love by The Imagined Village was released on January 11th to exceptional reviews and has been a critical and commercial wonder. I was fortunate enough to catch the band on tour in Salisbury and was surprised to hear one of my friends crop up in a duet with Jackie Oates on stage, who’s voice was a nice addition to the song of his, Lark In The Morning. This duet was preceded by a reading from Anthony McGeehan, who regaled the audience with his opinions on journalists and their practice. As I was unable to catch a glimpse of the reserved author, I concluded that he must have been hiding in the relative safety of the wings when he was delivering his speech.

The gig was a hoot, and I tried my best two stick two feathers up to Nick Griffin.

At the moment, I am back in the studio, wondering what the sun would feel like on my back in Africa, and overseeing the finishing touches that are being put to the third ECC release – another composition for the Lush Spas, this time for their facial treatment. My beak has never felt so good after all the facial massages I’ve been having.

I have to fly now as I’m about to drop in on a meeting with a potential new signing to ECC, more on this to come……

Emmerson Corncrake and Constantine is the ideal record company for me as a silent partner because throughout my years, I have perfected the art of being heard and not seen. At the moment, most of my friends are sunning themselves on the plains of Africa, yet I am back here in the UK, much against the advice of my father whose visions of me of me under the mowing blades in the middle of a hay field have been causing him no end of sleepless nights. I have reassured him that my business lies in an office in Poole town, near the Channel waters, miles from any hay.

I have postponed my holiday to Africa until our first record release, Synaesthesia, has been printed and released to Lush Cosmetics stores nationwide. I’ve had a great time working on this project, and the massages I’ve received as part of my research have made me the envy of all corncrakes headed south right about now. The combination of gorgeous music, grand aromas and sensations from the caressing hands of the masseuse has turned my summer into a deeply relaxed affair. Being in this country, the thought of the decline of my ancestors here played heavy on my mind, but the relaxing vibes of the spa treatment soon put an end to all that worry. I cannot recommend it highly enough.